4/14 at WAS

*As you will see later in the Reds notebook on the main site, Brandon Phillips was disappointed about not starting. He’s expected to start on Sunday.

“I really thought I was going to play today,” Phillips said. “I was really looking forward to it. I woke up with a smile on my face and then found out I wasn’t in the lineup. It hurt. But it’s what is best for me. [Dusty Baker] has been around the game a long time and he knows what’s best for me.”

*Ryan Ludwick made it clear that he did not knock Xavier Nady’s ball over the fence for the game-tying homer in the eighth inning on Friday. The ball was already on the other side.

“What happened when I went back was I didn’t think I had to jump,” Ludwick explained on Saturday. “My body hit the wall as I was reaching up. It jarred my arm just enough that I turned my glove a little bit. It caught the thumb on just flipped off. If hindsight in 20/20, I would have jumped. I didn’t think I had to jump.”

*On the heels of a 13-inning game Friday, Baker made a few lineup changes for Saturday. Ryan Hanigan was originally slated to catch Reds starter Homer Bailey but was rested after he caught all 13 innings. Devin Mesoraco started. Scott Rolen was originally going to be rested Sunday but got Saturday off instead after he played every inning Friday as well.

*For the season, Reds batters are hitting .125 with runners in scoring position this season, including 1-for-18 in the two games thus far vs. Washington.

*Reds pitchers are 1-3 over the last four games, but have a 2.48 ERA in those games. A starter hasn’t earned a victory since Johnny Cueto on Opening Day.

*Correction pointed out by a few last night. Cueto did get an Opening Day hit. Reds pitchers were 0-for-10 since until Bronson Arroyo’s third-inning single.

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12 Comments

A couple thoughts:
1. I don’t think Cairo should even be on this team, let alone sharing a starting 3B job. However, is Rolen much better? 3B is a joke for this team.
2. I am feeling just great about the ridiculous investment we just made in Brandon Phillips. Since he has signed his fat contract he has seen the field once, a PH strikeout.
3. Does Stubbs have to play? Our stupid manager gives our hot hitting SS a rest last night, but the planet’s strikeout leader never gets a rest, which only makes sense because Ryan Ludwick actually looks like he found his stroke; that’s why he’s sitting today.
4. In the only other game Harris has led off, he started every count 0-2, yet he is leading off today.
Does anyone in the front office wonder on a daily basis why Dusty is our manager? This team is a mess and it all starts with the guy who fills out the lineup card every day.

I wouldn’t put it ALL on DBake. It is only game 9. The FO failed to address the holes we have in our lineup. I still have faith in Phillips, Cozart, Votto and Bruce. I also think Meso and Hanigan will be a nice platoon. Our pitching has shown flashes. It’s not all doom and gloom in Redland. We just have cool bats to start the year.

Do you hear anything about the Reds trying to make some roster changes or call-ups, and if not now logically when would they feel like maybe replacing some of the question marks with other question marks

Could everyone just give it a rest with this negative BS. It’s 9 games out of 162. The bats will wake up. Everyone thinks they know better than people who have been in the game for decades. Either be a Reds fan or not. At least be smart about your comments. You want Phillips coming back early and then tearing his hamstring? Remember Griffey Jr.? Everyone is screaming for Todd Frazier to be our 3B … he’s batting around .155 at AAA. Chill out already. I’m sick of all this throwing the towel in stuff so early in the year. Remember when we were 5-0 last year? How’d that work out? A long season await. Reds can turn things around in one month. Basically this same roster was in the top 3 in runs scored last year. Let the season play out. So tired of everyone’s complaining. If you don’t like watching the Reds, turn on something else if it bothers you that much.

Not that it is ok but I can at least understand Frazier having a letdown. He went the entire spring as one of if not the top hitter we had and everyone thought he was shoe in to make the big club then at the last possible second he is shot right back to the minors. Again, it’s not excusable but it is understandable.

ok I will shut up but there lack of hitting is not going to bring anybody to the park —-so where does the monies come from for Votto and Phillips I have been a fan since 1950 are you willing to listen to the team moving out of Cincinnati.?

I’m so sick of people saying Dusty deserves a pass. He has been an underachiever for his entire career as a manager. He treats everyone of his players like they’re his best friends and anyone will tell you that is the worst way to be a leader. Is it all on his shoulders? Absolutely not, but it starts and ends with him, and I think it’s about time this ended.

Unbelievable last couple games for Dusty. Especially last night… what on earth is he thinking? Arroyo was absolutely dealing last night, had only 94 pitches and had the pitchers spot up… and he took him out??? WHY? why on earth would you allow the opposing manager to choose his pinch hitter after you go to the pen? My goodness… Bray is good, but he’s a lefty specialist! So you have a right handed batter come up, and look what happens! Dusty thinks he is being cute, “saving” his players and demonstrating his managerial prowess with these bold moves, but really he’s just not thinking!
Another issue I have with Dusty is this excuse he has for resting guys. ITS NINE GAMES INTO THE SEASON!!!! My goodness, if young guys need a rest this early in the year, then we need a new conditioning coach. Dusty is a players manager, he makes everyone happy… but that is the VERY problem. Guys like Willie Harris, Wilson Valdez and Cairo should not be starting in a major league line up, unless its backing up an injured player or the occasional rest… later in the year! His excuse of wanting to get Harris and Valdez some at-bats is ridiculous!! Since when do we center our offense around guys who are career .240 hitters and are lucky if they hit it out of the infield! No wonder these guys signed here, they knew they’d get more at-bats here than ANY other team because of Dusty. This is Major League Baseball, not little league where we give everyone an equal chance…. these guys know their roles on a team, and Dusty has more faith in them than their mothers do! Also, this Brandon Phillips thing really bugs me… this is a guy you just signed to a big long term deal, and when he says he’s ready to go, you should play him!! He’s no rookie, he knows when he can and can’t go! But again, Dusty sees NO hurry in bringing him back… why?? because we have Willie and Wilson to do the job!! PERFECT!! ugh…

On the same note… why, Why, WHY does Dusty still think that Stubbs can bat leadoff! He’s in an awful slump right now and can’t seem to wrap his head around what a bunt is, let a lone make contact with the ball. So why do you put him up there two games in a row?? I think Dusty’s ability to put so much faith in guys is really bringing this team down and preventing players from developing properly! Chapman probably thinks he’s on a team managed by an idiot… all he does is have an almost perfect SP and carry the bullpen so far this season, and Dusty treats him like he’s a child.

So sick of Dusty’s antics, really can’t handle it anymore. Its not just 9 games in people, he’s been this way since he’s been here. Can this team make the playoffs with Dusty? Yes, maybe. Can they win anything else? Absolutely not. He needs to go now, there needs to be a much different attitude in this clubhouse and as long as Dusty “Please, everyone needs to love me” Baker is there… its not going to happen. I’ve held off on the Dusty hating for a very long time, but I just can’t take it anymore.

Arroyo himself said he was based and they had already talked about him coming out after getting the righty out. Anyway the same people who wanted Baker to leave Arroyo in last night were prolly the same ones complaining when he got shelled in the 7th in his last start. Can’t have it both ways.

Well the “Dusty Doctrine” of having his hitters swing early in the count has reared its ugly head once again. How many first pitch grounders to third does it take to sink into his head? Oh well, maybe they can suddenly become more patient and force Jackson to finish his complete game with at least 80 pitches.

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